The video above is rather interesting. It began when someone browsing Google Earth spotted a geographic anomaly in Madagascar and wondered who lived in this very isolated location. What is interesting is how he went about collecting information and eventually recruiting a crew of locals with cameras and drone to investigate. It's a long (24 minute) video which I speed-browsed using the video progress bar and my keyboard right arrow, but I stopped frequently to admire various aspects of the study. I'll put a spoiler below these screencaps for those who don't have any time to spare (it's too bad our modern world is so packed with thingstodo that we can't find time to linger over interesting things, because there is so much to wonder at in this world).
The inhabitants are modern-day Madagascar farmers who discovered fertile soil and abundant water in this old caldera.
Check out the Aso caldera on Kyushu island in Japan. It's apparently the largest caldera in the world and encompasses a whole town and several villages. An earthquake a few years ago did quite a lot of damage and the volcano at its centre is still active and erupts occasionally.
ReplyDeleteExcellent 'detective' story about the Madagascar site. Do we now wait in dread for a passable road to be built and shatter their "Shangri La"?
ReplyDeleteI had the exact same thought.
DeleteMe too! Given the paucity of roads in Madagascar though, probably no worries (also no hope re getting their produce to market...). I was impressed - even astounded - at the research these Vox guys did! Just the sort of thing I would do had money and time and skill enough!
DeleteReminds me of Volcán Xico, the farm-filled crater on the edge of Mexico City.
ReplyDelete